The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Patchwork & Quilting ... Welcome to the Darkside => Block of the Month 2017 => Topic started by: Syrinx on August 19, 2017, 17:06:18 PM
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I can't remember if we were making a new sub board for the SOM or not, so feel free to shift it if so!
First Sandwich of the Month - I know you've all been looking forward to this :devil:
General Notes:
So Free Motion Quilting - FMQ. It's great fun, and very liberating. I'm going to be starting with easy ones, tips and tricks, and work through to more complicated ones.
I will mention now that FMQ is easiest when you have your machine stitching reasonably fast. Too slow and your lines are jerky and your stitches widely different lengths. Too fast and you lose control. Happy medium means reasonably fast, regular rhythm and this allows for the smooth movement of your sandwich.
What to make with your SOMs? They can be anything really - pot stands, oven mitt things, blocks for a sampler quilt, placemats, etc. Mine will probably end up as a very scrappy sampler quilt.
PLEASE NOTE fabric and thread choice is important. The ones I choose for the tutorials are chosen to best show off the design and how to make it so it shows up in pictures. Be aware that lots of FMQ is in a matched or close matched colour, unless it is the quilting that is the highlight of the block. If you need help picking a colour of thread just let me know and I'll help.
I'm using up bits of fabric for this so I've got a variety of sizes, but I suggest everyone uses a 10" square top fabric. I will indicate what size stuff I'm using in each tutorial.
THREAD CHOICE Please please please stay away from metallic threads. They really like shredding and often make a right mess. You'll be much better off with a shiny rayon a little brighter than you think and you'll get a similar effect. You can use embroidery weight thread as your top thread, but never use a heavy thread in your bobbin. Invisible thread is a favourite of mine and I'll give plenty of info when it comes up.
You need an FMQ foot or darning foot. I never bother popping the feed dogs down, and I never bother with gloves, but I have pretty grippy hands so up to you what you like to use. I don't change tension on top thread unless it is a special thread (like heavy embroidery or invisible).
AUGUST SOM
This is a lovely easy design that is really flexible and can be used almost anywhere - the stipple! It is sewn in rows so that you don't miss anything out and can be made larger or smaller depending on what sort of look you want. It is a really effective texture maker when matched to the fabric colour, and can be used around feature designs to make them really stand out.
Here is the tutorial - enjoy! Any questions just ask away :D
https://goo.gl/photos/Gq1QEVA2WfnRZ1Gz8
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My attempts. Not perfect I know. I find it very hard to keep the stitch size consistent even on these small pieces, and almost impossible on a quilt sized quilt. I could probably live with these as long as the thread colour blended in.
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What thread did you use on the first one? It really stands out.
I must get sat down at the machine and have a go, I don't seem to have had any opportunity the last couple of weeks.
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It was Gutermann sulky on the black piece. The others were a Gutermann variegated cotton and a Presencia cotton on the oblong green one. I kept getting breakages with the presencia but after changing the needle and reducing the tension it was fine.
Oops, they are all oblong, aren't they. The middle one is the presencia.
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Are those your first attempts? :o Wow! Very good indeed. That black one is beautiful.
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No, Wrenks, I've done it before, but not for public viewing. :|
I'm not very good at it and I know I need more practise to keep it even, but I get a bit bored with it if I'm just doing practise pieces. If the thread more or less matches the quilt though, it hides a multitude of sins. ;)
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My attempts. Not perfect I know.
I nearly spat out my coffee after I read that and saw the first pic ... it is perfect and I would be very proud of that SG.
Im at a bit of a break in projects at the mo ... so who knows may give this a go!
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My attempts. Not perfect I know.
I nearly spat out my coffee after I read that and saw the first pic ... it is perfect and I would be very proud of that SG.
Im at a bit of a break in projects at the mo ... so who knows may give this a go!
I think that comment attached to those pics produced a lot of nearly spat coffee.
Anyone would be happy with that result.
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I can't do random or wriggly. I had to bring my artsy fartsy friend in to randomise my kitchen tiles because I'd have seen patterns!
My life is full of systems and regime and straight lines. That's why I think I struggle with fabric choice so much. I want it to "behave" so then it gets all uptight and over-thought. I imagine my squiggles would end up like Sashiko! :S
I should try doing it after :gin: :gin: :gin: >:)
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Thanks for the nice comments girls, but really, they wouldn't stand close scrutiny. Of course, it's easier on those titchy pieces, when you battle with a whole quilt it's a lot harder and QAYG is a good idea for a small machine. Mine is a Bernina 350 which is pretty small, but does produce a good stitch even through thick and lumpy bits. :loveit:
Wrenks, I saw a tutorial which suggested you imagine the arms and legs of a gingerbread man when you are doing the wiggly bits. I find it hard to keep the density of the wiggly bits even, some are close together and others are not. Got to practise more, I suppose.
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All look pretty perfect to me SG, well done :ninja:
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Uneven stitch length (if anyone is stressing) is the result of stitching too slowly and not moving the fabric smoothly. You need to be going at a medium /fast speed and then you are more likely to have the ability to move thn fabric smoothly.
Looks good, I would say to look at your fabric/place to stipple first and work out whern your rows of n shape wiggles will go so that you don't have to worry about filling space. Work side to side in rows. Each row is a collection of n wiggles. They can be uneven - it's a stipple so very flexible.
If you imagine an oscillating line that's what you workfrom but wiggle your way along. You'll never make them all the same and they don't have to be. Your stitch length also won't be perfectly even, ef you are going reasonably fast and smoothly then your stitches will be pretty close to even and your eye will make up the difference.
I think yours looks rather nice. :)
On a big area I split it into sections. So rather than quilting the whole you do it in blocks and then it's much more manageable!
Practice with your pen until you are super happy you have the design in you head if you aren't happy with your stitch out :)
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Here we are warts and all.
My first ever attempt at FMQ. I started from the top right hand corner but should have been a bit more organised about where I was going because I found I had left quite a big gap in one place (filled afterwards :)). The bits I found hard were seeing where I had been and restarting after I had stopped without getting a jerk and a big stitch and keeping control of the fabric when I was near the edge and there wasn't enough both sides of the needle to hold. I actually found it easiest to control when I was going in reverse. I definitely needed gloves. Down near the bottom I have 'eyelashes' on my curves but can't remember what causes that - stitch size, speed?
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Love it and the writing is superb!!!! Bravo!
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The help made me think you were stuck in a maze Ploshy :D especially as the surrounding fabric is green :D
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That was your first attempt?
And writing too?
Well done.
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Wow, that looks good, Plosh. :loveit:
I can't even do it with a pen and paper.
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That's brilliant Plosh! Made me laugh! 0_0
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I can't even do it with a pen and paper.
I've always been a doodler - got me through many long, tedious meetings.
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Down near the bottom I have 'eyelashes' on my curves but can't remember what causes that
Usually speed and the needle flexing as you turn. Go steady, and use a straight stitch throatplate if you have one.
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Thanks DOB, I haven't got a straight stitch throat plate but I was intending getting one. I think I got a bit blase when I got near the bottom and was probably moving the sandwich a bit quickly.
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Thanks DOB, I haven't got a straight stitch throat plate but I was intending getting one. I think I got a bit blase when I got near the bottom and was probably moving the sandwich a bit quickly.
Great minds and all that, Ploshkin, I just ordered a straight stitch throat plate for my machine this afternoon.
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What a fantastic first attempt Ploshkin. You're obviously a natural at FMQ. Brilliant !!